Laterally movable door



NOV. 10, 1953 w, BEAUCHAMP 2,658,243

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed June 1, 1950 3 sheet s sheet l W/L F254: 9, bsaucmew @M'M M Nqv. 10, 1953 w. A. BEAUCHAMP 2,658,243

LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR Filed June 1. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1953 w. A. BEAUCHAMP' LATERALLY MOVABLE. DOOR :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1. 1950 mmumumu Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on line I I| of Fig. 1.

In the dra ings the numeral I indicates a portion of a side wall of a refrigerator car. A door opening I I is formed in the side wall I0 and is adapted to be closed by means of a sliding flush door I2 whose inner and outer surfaces lie in the same plane with the inner and outer surfaces of the wall ID as is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The construction of the door I2 does not per se form any part of the instant invention. It may be described briefly as comprising an outer metallic panel I3 secured upon and projecting outwardly beyond a rectangular wooden frame I4. The projecting portions of the metallic panel are reinforced by means of vertical angle members one of which is indicated at I5 and top and bottom horizontal angle members I5 and I1. Vertical nailing strips, one of which is indicated at I8, and top and bottom horizontal nailing strips l9 and 28 are secured to the reinforcing angles and to the wooden frame of the door and serve to "rovide means for the securement of vertical sealing strips such as 2| and horizontal sealing strips 22 and 23 as is more clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

An inner lining member 24 formed of plywood is secured upon the wooden door frame I4 in spaced relationship to the metallic panel I3. The space between these members contains an insulating air pocket 25 and insulating media 25 and 21. To obtain a flush relationship between the inner face of the door and the inner face of the car wall a further plywood lining 28 is secured in spaced relationship to the lining 24 on the door frame. The lining 28 is usually referred to as the cold wall of the door and is open at the top and the bottom to permit circulation of cold air adjacent to the lining 24.

When the door is closed it is seated within the door opening I I. To so position the door and to move the door out of the door opening for longitudinal movement on the outside of the car the instant invention provides a mechanism which is easily accessible and operable both from the ground and from platforms. This mechanism embodies spaced vertical pipes 29 and 30 rotatably mounted on the metallic panel I3 of the door by means of brackets 3|, 32 and 33 and brackets 34, 35, and 36. Cranks 31 and 38 are secured to the lower ends of the pipes 29 and 38. The arms 39 and 40 of these cranks carry spindles 4| and 42 which are journalled in carriages 43 and 44 provided with rollers 45 and 46 adapted to roll upon a track 41 secured to the car wall III. This construction which is more fully illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings is adapted in conjunction with the structure hereinafter described to support the door for lateral movement into and from the door opening and for longitudinal movement along the car wall. The angularity of the crank arms 39 and 40 is more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The upper ends of the vertical pipes 29 and 38 are provided with cranks 48 and 49 embodying crank arms 50 and 5| carrying upwardly extending spindles 52 and 53. The upper portions of the spindles are reduced in diameter as indicated at 54 and 55 and rollers 56 and 51 are rotatably mounted upon the reduced portions of the spindles. These rollers are adapted to lie behind the depending flange 58 of a door retainer and guide member 59 secured to the wall of the car above the door opening. The member 59 is reinforced by means of straps 50 and GI welded to it at the points where the rollers 56 and 51 bear against the depending flange 58 during the lateral movement of the door into the door opening. The angularity of the crank arms 58 and 5| relative to the car wall is different from the angularity of the crank arms 39 and 48 relative to the car wall and is more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

A weather guard 52 is carried by the car wall above the door opening and is formed with an outwardly extending flange 63. The flange 63 is provided with slots 64 and 65 extending inwardly from the outer edge of the flange and serving to cooperate with the upper portions of the vertical pipes 29 and 38 to properly guide the door as it is moved laterally inwardly into the door opening.

The lower portion of the door is guided and retained upon the door track during longitudinal movement by the hooked engagement shown at 66. The upper portion of the door is guided and prevented from falling inwardly of the car wall during longitudinal movement of the door by means of angle members 61 and 88. The horizontal legs 69 and III of these angle members are seated upon the crank arms 58 and 5| and are loosely retained thereon by the spindles 52 and 53 which extend through the horizontal legs II and I2 of these angle members lie upon the outside of and overlap the depending flange 58 of the guide and retaining member 59.

In order to impart rotation to the vertical pipes 29 and 39 and movement of the door into and from the door opening II the pipes are provided with normally downwardly inclined levers I3 and I4 pivotally mounted upon the clevises I5 and I8 welded to the pipes. A plate member 11 preferably formed of cast steel is secured upon the outer face of the metallic door panel I3 as by means of rivets. The plate member 11 is formed with a hub I8 having an internally threaded portion I9 which projects outwardly from the metallic panel I3 and an inwardly projecting portion which terminates within the door I2. The plate member 11 is also formed with vertically spaced recesses 8| and 82 lying above and below the hub I8. The inner end of the hub I8 is closed by means of a plate 83.

An externally threaded screw member 84 has threaded engagement with the internally threaded portion 19 of the hub and is adapted to extend into the inwardly extending portion 88 thereof when the door is closed. An actuating lever 85 provided with oppositely extending handles 88 and 81 is welded as shown at 88 to the outer end of the threaded member 84, for the purpose of imparting rotation to the threaded member. By this construction it will be apparent that the threaded member 84 and the lever 85 act as a unit.

A follower 89 is slidably mounted upon the threaded member 84 and is associated in interlocking rotatable relationship with the lever 85 by means of a flange 38 formed on the follower and similar upwardly and downwardly extending flanges 9| and 92 formed on the lever. To properly guide the follower in its inward and outward movement relative to the plate member II it is formed with inwardly projecting upper and lower members 93 and 94 which are received within the recesses 8| and 82 formed in the plate member. The inner end of the upper projecting member 93 is formed with an upstanding lug 95 while the inner end of the lower projecting member is formed with a downwardly extending lug 98. These lugs are adapted to engage pins 5% 91 and 98 extending aeross the recesses w and 82 i in order to limit outward movement f the follower; Inwardmovement of the follower is limited by the engagement betweem a3- flange 99 formed on the follower and" the outer ends of recesses BI- and-82.

The follower also provided with I oppositelyextending substantially horitontal wings I IOIfiand III I -which aresu-bstantially Uqshaped in'=section and adapted to receive the outwardly lient ends I III." and I 03 of=the levers 1'3 and514i When the door is 411113 closed-the handls dii' and 81 of the actuating lever are: arranged" to lie vertically: In-the closed'position'of the-door accidental rotation of the actuating lever: 85 1sprevented by means l of? a substantiallychannel shaped 'memb'er I M pivoted uponplate member 11- soias to swing vertically. In the=closed posi tion of-the door thearms I05 and' Inner the member I 04* lie I on opposite'sidi'es" of 'the handle 81 thus preventing rotation of the lever: A seal (notshown) is then passedthrough'the alined openings I 01 "and v I 08- formed' respectively I in the handle I3! f and in the arm I 0 fi of themember I 01-? In order-to insure proper alinement between the seal slots and thereby that the door is fully closed priorto sealing; the-arm I05 of the"mem her IIJ4 is formednrthe shape'of a hook: I09 which when the' door. is fully 'closed is adapted to :have hooked engagement with a= stud II Ifiprojecting from I the=handle 81. In: the event that the-door is not='fully closed' the hook-shapefiarm I09 -will merely rest upon theme I I0" andnot have the-hooked engagement-illustrated i in Fig: 7 of the-drawings; It? and lilB willbe out of alinement so' thav thedoor cannot be'sealedi This Will indicate to the operator that the hooked 1 engagement illustratedin-Fig. 7- must be obtainediinorden to seal the door. Proper sealing of 'the door: will thus automatically be obtained.

In order" to obtain this result regardless- 0f which handle happens to extend dora nwardli whenthe doorais' closed, a lu'g I II extendine oppositely from the-:lug: lfItl is provided upon the handle 86" which is also provided with seal slot. IE2" disposed'on the opposite side from the sealislotf ".17.".

In order to'i' move". the: door: outwardly: from their doorropening and dispose'it for longitudinal movementralongsthe track: the *seali (not shown) is broken and? thexmemben I O I- swung-upwardly in. order to disengage the arms thereof from the: handle 81: The; lever" 8:5 is then": rotated in counter-clockwise direction: which causesit and the: threaded member 845 to' move outwardly relative to' the; door. Such movement of the lever and the" member. 84 causes the follower 8G to: move. outwardly guided" by the recesses 31Ia11d82 andstheiprojections 93- an'd QW Such outward movement. of! the follower is*- limited by; the" engagement of the a lugs". 95- and 9E- with the pins 91' and 98? The: outward movement of the follower- 89:,produces an outward movement of: the adj acentfen'dsi of: thezlevers-l'li and H and rotation of: thepi-pes 29- and 3-0 W11'iCh through the upper and lower: cranks forces= the door partly outwardly from the door opening. The ends of? the levers are then lifted out' of the wings: I 00; and: I I] I andiswung outwardly to for-'- ther rotate theapip'es an'dtcomplete the -movement of: the: doors from the;- door' opening": The door may, then'be moved'rlongitudinally upon' the track to openpositionn In order: to. force the": doorinto thedoor:

A't thistime the seal slot's show-n. in: Figss. 5:; and? 6'2 of; the drawings.

opening it -is first i moved; untili its is: positioned: opposite the door: opening-e Tl are then swnngitoward ithef platezmember: IT: thereby producingsrotationi of: thezpipese and: 3'0 andinward movementrof the-vdoor unti'licontact is establ-is'hed between-the carzwall andgthe; weatherstrips secured .toi-the door; The: door. is: guided during inward movementibyi the;.cooperaetion between the pipes 28: and :3 Oand slotsu-M: and: 653 The I adjacent?- ends ofi'the: levers: I3: and: Hl v are then:v disposedwithin; the substantially-s U:' shaped wings I00 and HM: ofv thefollowerr 89." Thereuporrthe handles i8fi'iand; 8:! are.:rotatediin: clockwise-direction :so that the; 1everr85-z and; the; threaded member 84 move imzvardlyg.v relativezto: thedoor. Such inward movement of;these;:memhers causes the follower:- to: move inwardly; andin thelatter movement. the: follower isai guided:v and prevented from .tilting by? the; cooperation: between: theinwardly extending projections? 9-3-1 and" H and the recesses- 8.! and .s 82: Inward: mevementof-the'lever; the threaded ?membezs:and: the follower limited: by the: engagement:v of; theflange" Saxon". theiol-lowen and the-router; ends. of" recesses? 8-I andi 82; During; such: inward: movement ofi the: follower the: adjacent ends, of; the levers T3: and. I4 ares movedfi inwardly" prordocing rotation of the :pipes 29: andBD-iand; forcing the door readilyinto'; the: door: opening: against: the resistanceuofiered by the: compression:-. of; the door-"sealing'strips;

Because of this resistancaitahasibeen: observedv during: theaoperati'oniof prior: 'COIlStI'llGfiOIISiE that the adjacent ends-.oftthelevers" I3: and: popped out of the-wings1IIhhandiIItI;v This is avoided in: the' instant? construction .by: the? cooperation. between the recesses BI and 82 and the projece ti'ons 93 and: 94" on 1 the: follower-- 89? which prevents tilting of the follower. When thexdoorvis' properlysseated inzthezdoor opening the: member. I 04 is swung: downwardly," so as: to: straddle: the handle 81? and at'seal listthenz.passed:throngh the alinedsealtslots: I0]: and I08! At thistime-the wix'xgscandzthe: ends ofrtheleyersaare covered-b3: the outwardly: extending". flanges; H3: and: H4 formed on plate. member "1.1

Thelheretofore mentioned relative angularity between; the; lower: crank: arms? 3a andzl 40; and thezupper-crankiarmsaS-B and 5I is morecclearlyi y: means: of th'is.=. relative: angularityi the invention provides-for, the: leading: ofs; thez-upperi: portion; of the door. into the? door-opening: in? advance: of. movementzof thezlower. QDmJiOlliOf" thezdoor into the: door: openingz: The: resultant pressure thereby; exerted: upon the. upper; portion: of; the door insures: that. it; will be tightly closed: when thadborsiskseatedwithin the; door opening.

It; will be: apparent that: numerous: changes and rmodificatiorns:imtheJdetailSw of: the invention will be clear to those skilledin': thesarti It;is' intended; therefore, that: all i such"; modifications and changes he comprehendeda within; this: in;- vention which is: to he limited only; 'hy the *scope of the claims= appenddhereto.

l' 'claim:

1': In a-railway'freight"car*having a wall provided" with a door" opening; a doorfor closing said opening; means-'- comprising vertical b'ai's rotatahly mounted" on said door for mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and fionrsaid door-openingandlongitudinal movement along said 1 wall and levers secured to said" bars for imparting"' rotation thereto. the combination: comprising a plate) member: so

The: levers; I3;

cured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, means on said follower and plate member for limiting outward movement of said follower, means on said follower and plate member for limiting inward movement of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and impart swinging movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars.

2. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means comprising vertical bars rotatably mounted on said door for mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall and levers secured to said bars for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member secured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, cooperating means on said follower and plate member for guiding and preventing rotation of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and impart swinging movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars.

3. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means comprising vertical bars rotatably mounted on said door for mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall and levers secured to said bar for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member secured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, cooperating means on said follower and plate member for guiding and preventing rotation of said follower, means on said cooperating guide means for limiting outward movement of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and impart swinging movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars.

4. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means comprising vertical bars rotatably mounted on said door for mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall and levers secured to said bars for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member secured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, guide recesses provided on said plate member, extensions on said follower positioned in said recesses and cooperating therewith to guide and prevent rotation of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and impart swingin movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars.

5. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means comprising vertical bars rotatably mounted on said door for mounting I said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall and levers secured to said bars for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member secured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, guide recesses provided on said plate member, extensions on said follower positioned in said recesses and cooperating therewith to guide and prevent rotation of said follower, lugs on said extensions, pins extending across said recesses, said lugs being engageable with said pins to limit outward movement of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and. impart swinging movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars.

6. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means comprising vertical bars rotatably mounted on said door for mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall and levers secured to said bars for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member 30- cured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said threaded member, mean on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagement, means limiting outward movement of said follower, means limiting inward movement of said follower, and wings on said follower adapted to engage and impart swinging movement to said first mentioned levers and rotation to said bars, said wings being substantially U-shaped in cross section, the ends of said latter levers being positioned in said wings.

'7. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening, means embodying a vertical bar rotatably mounted on said door for imparting movement thereto into and from said door opening and a lever secured to said bar for imparting rotation thereto, the combination comprising a plate member secured upon said door, an internally threaded hub on said plate member, an externally threaded member meshing with said hub, a lever secured to said threaded member for imparting rotation thereto, a follower slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said threaded member, means on said latter lever and follower having interlocking and rotatable engagemerit, means on said follower and plate memher for limiting outward movement of said follower, and means on said follower and plate member for limiting inward movement of said follower, said follower being engageable with said first mentioned lever to impart swinging movement thereto and rotation to said bar.

8. In a railway freight car having a wall provided with a door opening, a door for closing said opening and means mounting said door upon said wall for lateral movement into and from said door opening and longitudinal movement along said wall, the combination comprising means cooperating with said first mentioned means for imparting lateral movement to said door, said latter means comprising a lever mounted on said door for rotation in a plane parallel to said door, means on said door engageable with said lever in the vertical position thereof to prevent rotation of said lever when said door is closed, said last mentioned means being pivotally mounted on said door for ver- 10 tical swinging movement and embodying spaced flanges adapted to lie on opposite sides of said lever, one of said flanges being hook-shaped, the other of said flanges and said lever having seal slots, said seal slots being alined when said hook-shaped flange is in hooked engagement with said lever.

WILFRED A. BEAUCHAMP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 243,866 Dobson July 5, 1881 277,001 Chapin May 8, 1883 411,846 Webber Oct. 1, 1889 1,720,933 Tobin et a1. July 16, 1929 1,787,468 Bittorf et a1. Jan. 6, 1931 1,900,254 Nystrom Mar. 7, 1933 2,108,224 Haseltine Feb. 15, 1938 2,442,031 Beauchamp May 25, 1948 2,511,425 Beauchamp June 13, 1950 

